Swift action is needed to lower housing costs for students to afford them easily
A growing concern in Germany is the shortage of affordable housing for students, with the number of students on waiting lists for dormitory places increasing significantly. Matthias Anbuhl, the chairman of the German Student Services Organization, has identified this issue as an urgent social concern.
In the winter semester 2023/2024, more than 32,000 students were on the waiting list for a dormitory place in eleven selected university cities. By the reference date of 15.9.2024, this number had risen to around 34,500. Cities like Munich, with 11,500 students on the waiting list, and Berlin, with around 5,000, are particularly affected. In Aachen, almost 7,000 students are on the waiting list, and in Hamburg, approximately 2,900 students are waiting for a dormitory place. Cologne also has 1,500 students on the waiting list.
Anbuhl's warning is confirmed by waiting lists at individual student services. He calls for the establishment and vigorous implementation of the federal-state program to create more affordable housing for students. This program is part of a larger €11 billion government investment aimed at boosting new construction of affordable housing, including student accommodations.
However, challenges persist due to high land prices, skilled labor shortages, complex regulations, and insufficient additional incentives such as tax breaks or subsidies. These factors may delay visible improvements until 2026 or later.
Experts emphasize the need for regulatory and procedural simplifications to make housing projects viable and affordable. Additionally, data-driven urban planning and housing policies are crucial, with recommendations underlining the importance of using real-time data and flexible urban planning to respond swiftly to demand changes. Strengthening social and cooperative housing models to ensure stable rents without distorting the market is also essential.
The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs forecasts that around 505,000 people will start a university degree in the winter semester 2024/2025. With the current student housing shortage, this influx of new students could exacerbate the problem.
Anbuhl is particularly concerned about the impact of the shortage on students from less affluent families. He warns of a new form of social selection, where only those who can afford the rent can study. He sees this as a threat to the diversity and inclusivity of Germany's higher education system.
The German government's approach involves substantial funding commitments, regulatory reforms, and moves towards evidence-based planning coupled with support for social housing models to improve the affordable student housing supply. However, structural market constraints and procedural challenges mean that substantial relief for waiting lists and affordability issues is expected to develop gradually rather than immediately.
"Matthias Anbuhl, the chairman of the German Student Services Organization, advocates for the establishment and implementation of the federal-state program to create more affordable housing for students, which is part of an €11 billion government investment in education-and-self-development."
"Anbuhl is particularly concerned about the impact of the housing shortage on students from less affluent families, fearing a new form of social selection, where only those who can afford the rent can pursue their education, potentially threatening the diversity and inclusivity of Germany's higher education system."
